BTCC, ETCC, and DTM for Australian TV!

Michael H · 13 Jan 2002, 01:54 (Ref:197785)

just kidding...but don't we all want to see these great series on Australian television?

It is disgraceful that we cannot see the BTCC on Australian TV. Who would have thought that after being able to see the BTCC every year since 1994 we now cannot see it.

The DTM - V8 touring cars - why can't this be shown Down Under? Viewers would love it.

The ETCC - Super Touring reborn - Volvo, Alfa Romeo, BMW, Nissan and Honda. This wonderful series must be shown here in 2002. It is a tv stations dream in terms of advertising revenue!

Why doesn't Channel Ten show these series? Aren't they allegedly the Home of Motorsport? They also used to call themselves the home of V8 racing - well, they're not until the show the DTM!

DNQ · 13 Jan 2002, 02:19 (Ref:197790)

These championships will never be on free to air as long as the current television environment stays in place. The only chance the BTCC, ETCC and DTM have to get on the box is on Pay TV and even that, with the exception of BTCC, is a longshot.

But, we can always dream

StuiE · 13 Jan 2002, 06:38 (Ref:197831)

u were getting my hpoes up for a second there

that would be mad if we could get those series shown here
the euro series' r heaps hetter than V8 supercars

and i havent seen a full BTCC race since 1998 im losing hope

knackaneal · 13 Jan 2002, 06:57 (Ref:197835)

Quote:

Originally posted by Michael H
just kidding...but don't we all want to see these great series on Australian television?

Geez Mate ... you got my pulse-rate over-revving with that one!!!

BTCC was on C7 per Optus in 2000 with special-edited one hour packages... was presented well despite the thin fields ... generated excitement building up to the Championship-deciding final round ... and guess what???? That final round was not allowed to be shown on Optus due to some contractual bull-tish.

Talk about looking after the average punter!!!!!!!!!

Crash Test · 13 Jan 2002, 10:42 (Ref:197883)

The only way we're going to see them on the box is if somebody pays for them... I honestly can't see Ch10, 9, 7, 28 or 31 simply running them out of kindness. 9 used to show the BTCC because it was crash 'em up carnage, the sort of thing that got the punters going. I suppose 10 ran the German and the BTCC because of the relevance of them showing the ASTC. Remember 7 ran some DTM when they were showing the ASTC a couple of years ago...

Michael H · 13 Jan 2002, 11:13 (Ref:197909)

DNQ - stop dreaming and start writing to tv stations!

gtr69 - this is the ppoint . Just as the BTCC is picking up, the DTM is booming, and ETCC is reviving, we should now be able to see all three series. Write a letter today to 7, 9 10

knackaneal - if it was on pay TV, all three series, i'd get pay tv then, Write to Fox Sports

Crash Test - wasn't that German Super Touring from 1997 fanbtastic on Ch 10! I wish I had recoreded some of the races! And yes, the DTM shown by 7 in 2000/01 was awesome. Actually, there is a way DTM highlioghts can be seen in Australia still - albeit 3 minutes worth.
watch the German News on SBS at 7.30 am the Monday morning after a DTM round. It is repeated again at 11.30 am. The DTM highlights are shown in the sports report, about 8 minutes into the bulletin. Very short coverage, but if you love DTM you'll watch it.

Crash Test · 13 Jan 2002, 11:51 (Ref:197934)

I've seen bits and pieces of all different motorsport classes on different Fox Sports programs in the past.

Remember TOCA Oz used to pay for those German tourers... they raced on some interesting tracks...

marcus · 13 Jan 2002, 12:10 (Ref:197952)

AWWWWW MAN ITS ONLY A HOAX !!!!!!!

I wish we could see these series but Im sure we are not going to.

what we need is a full time motorsport dedicated channel like Speedvision or something like that , but we dont have the population or the money to support it and channel 10 would never show it because their books are full up with racing already.

damm my heart sunk when I got into this thread,,,dont ever do that again

Michael H · 14 Jan 2002, 10:09 (Ref:198435)

marcus - my apologies. I just want to raise the profile of this issue. It is of national significance. We are in danger of becoming Fortress Australia again.

Crash Test - yes, TOCA Oz did pay for the german Tourers. I think that one of the sad things about the 1990s was that series such as the STW-Cup and the Italian 2L series did not get the profile or coverage that they deserved. The German 2L series was awesome from 1995 to 1999. 1996 to 198 were its best years. It is a little known fact that in 1998 over 100,000 people visited a STW Cup round in eastern Germany. The DTM, whilst popular, can only dream of such crowds.
The Italian Touring car series was pretty awesome too. I seem to remember that SBS showed this series one year, perhaps 1996? At the final round one year BMW had Cecotto, Naspetti, Winkelhock, Ravaglia and Soper on the grid. I think it was 1996. Awesome.

We must do all we can to get the ETCC, BTCC and DTM on Australian tv this year.

racer69 · 15 Jan 2002, 05:16 (Ref:198886)

I agree totally, all three series seem to have cracking races.

Fox Sports showed half the BTCC in 2001, but since mid year we haven't seen anything, and on Motorworld/Through the gears (whatever it's called now) on Fox Sports they showed the DTM and ETCC ( ST and SP ), albeit only about 30 seconds of each, from each round.

I would have thought that 10 would be showing DTM, hopefully someone (free to air, pay TV) can pick these series up. If we don't get them over here, apparently you can watch the ETCC races live (without sound) from the Eurosport website, if you download the right player etc.

I wasn't aware SBS showed the Italian series in the past, pity i didn't know about it, they would have been great. The German STW Cup in '97 was great, pity that channel 10 never showed the end of the championship

Buckshot · 15 Jan 2002, 06:01 (Ref:198891)

Where's the motivation for free to air to televise these series ?

Where's the $$$$ ?

DAVID PATERSON · 15 Jan 2002, 09:10 (Ref:198919)

If the networks stick to a firm timeslot and got off their arses, they could promote these series, build a substantial fan base and sell the advertising space on the strength of good ratings.

Michael H · 15 Jan 2002, 09:44 (Ref:198924)

well said David Paterson!

Buckshot - the motivation and the $$$ are in advertising! If you have all three series on TV you can sell advertsing, and no doubt about it it would be bought, to Merc, Audi, Volvo, Alfa, BMW, Honda, Proton, Lexus, Holden, MG. What a list! What a revenue generator! It is a Win-WIn situation for all concerned.

Crash Test · 15 Jan 2002, 13:05 (Ref:198962)

But would people watch it, and would the car manufacturers support it? Saying that there are 10,000 sponsors involved with V8 Supercar doesn't mean that there is advertising from 10,000 different companies during the telecast...

Personally, if the networks started giving away free airtime, I would like to see things like the National Sports Sedans, and extended coverage of other lower classes.

racer69 · 16 Jan 2002, 01:42 (Ref:199327)

I think the manufacturers would probably support it. Before christmas didn't Alfa have a sale in which the advertisement which said celebrating their victory in the 2001 European Touring Car Championship.

The best bet is definatly pay TV i bet, they seem to give everything a go.

Michael H · 16 Jan 2002, 09:57 (Ref:199407)

racer 69 - which paper was that Alfa ad in?

DNQ · 16 Jan 2002, 11:31 (Ref:199436)

Quote:

Originally posted by racer69
I think the manufacturers would probably support it. Before christmas didn't Alfa have a sale in which the advertisement which said celebrating their victory in the 2001 European Touring Car Championship.

The best bet is definatly pay TV i bet, they seem to give everything a go.

Yes, that's correct, Alfa did run ads advertising their success in the ETCC, but I am not sure which paper it was in.

It was on the news on Channel 10, because the road safety people were complaining about Alfa using speed to sell road cars. I was amazed to see the file tape on the news was that of about a 1992 BTCC race....I think they'll have to get some more footage....

StuiE · 19 Jan 2002, 06:56 (Ref:201073)

how about nascar on free to air? with CART floundering surely 10 could put that on instead on a monday night? dont get me wrong i love CART but it doesnt seem to be surviving ne more

does BBC news have BTCC Reports? cos BBC news is on Perth's Channel 31
so i might be able to see abit more

Ch7's Start your engines was a poor effort but better than nothing

Crash Test · 19 Jan 2002, 10:36 (Ref:201114)

The BBC doesn't show squat, they might mention if Schumacher won, or else it is all soccer bloody soccer (SBS) or how **** poor their cricket team is....

Blast....yay the Australian team....all they need to do is ditch half of their players...

Sorry, what were we talking about?

StuiE · 19 Jan 2002, 12:28 (Ref:201144)

i've almost started those letters mike H

Michael H · 21 Jan 2002, 10:56 (Ref:202037)

gtr69 - that is good to hear.

Michael H · 1 Feb 2002, 11:18 (Ref:208095)

I sent a letter to Seven early this week. How is everybody else going in writing their letters???????????

knackaneal · 1 Feb 2002, 12:00 (Ref:208108)

Got all excited last night ... British Touring Car Championship round advertised on C7Sport per Optus Vision after about a year's absence .. haven't watched what I taped yet but saw a bit of intro by Charlie Cox for 2001 Ch'ship ... does this mean it's a year old already? Or does the BTCC run over into the next year like a cricket season???

Buckshot · 1 Feb 2002, 13:34 (Ref:208145)

Quote:

I sent a letter to Seven early this week. How is everybody else going in writing their letters???????????

I've already started drafting mine:

Dear Channel 7,

After the amazing success your network had with Australian Super Touring in it's prime time slot of midnight Wednesday night every 3 to 4 weeks, but only if there was no skiing, swimming, running or badminton on anywhere in the world, I would sincerely appreciate it if you could televise a racing series even less well known or followed in this country with cars that are even more irrelevant to the Australian car market ensuring you'll have heaps of eager local sponsors throwing great wads of cash at you making the whole exercise worth while.

Yadda yadda yadda...blah blah blah...or you could just show repeats of the Golden Girls or something...

It still needs a little work before completion but I feel that's a pretty convincing arguement thus far huh fellas ?

mtpanorama · 2 Feb 2002, 02:53 (Ref:208703)

Excellent Bucky,
Keep those letters rolling in. That is sure to get the races on tele.

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